Chapter 251 – Immortal Centipede – 1
“What’s that doing here…….”
While I stood there dazed, mumbling to myself, the Immortal Centipede that spotted me immediately burrowed into the host’s body. Its massive form tore through the shell, creating space.
With every segment of the centipede disappearing, the insect that was supposed to be the boss here twitched its limbs and, finally, when it burrowed down to the very last segment of the Immortal Centipede, it stood still.
A face that looked like a mix between a fly and an ant fixed its gaze on me. Its bright red pupils expanded and contracted repeatedly, while its upper and lower jaws clacked noisily.
Crack, its legs began to move.
It should have stepped carefully to protect the eggs in this room, but instead, it stomped around, crushing them. Eggshells shattered and green liquid gushed everywhere.
I had seen the host moving under theImmortal Centipede’s will enough when I played Brightest Darkness 3. It had been described so thoroughly to show that I was no longer the same human.
‘It’s coming.’
The creature leaped from the ground and charged. Its joints twisted beyond their limits, and the eggs on the ground were trampled, producing squishy sounds.
I raised the Wingless Nightmare and conjured black flames to slam its head. Its head twisted nearly 180 degrees. The unbalanced body lurched to the left and crashed into the ground, propelled by inertia.
It skidded a few meters as it uprooted the ground. I quickly widened the distance.
But, even while covered in egg shells and viscous fluid, it stood up without a care. Its melted face and completely mangled neck returned to normal in a matter of seconds.
‘…… As expected. That doesn’t work.’
It charged again. Waiting for the Wingless Nightmare to line up, I thrust forward and embedded it into its head. Despite the knife planted firmly in its skull, it kept pushing forward.
This was a common trait of hosts. From the perspective of the Immortal Centipede, there was no reason not to rough up its host.
In any case, the host’s pain didn’t transmit to the main body, and even if the host were destroyed, it could be restored. So it charged recklessly, regardless of whether the host got smashed.
I knew that trait all too well. Just as its front leg swung towards me, I extended my hand and triggered an explosion. Its head was ripped off, and the headless body floated upwards.
Thud, the body landed on the mound of eggs. And in less than a second, it stood up again. The head that had been torn off was already more than half regenerated in that short time.
‘Even if I know the trait….’
The regeneration speed was too fast. In the game, even without True Death or special weapons, it was possible to drain HP completely, but it seemed like its health wasn’t diminishing at all.
In the end, there was only one remaining method, but that method posed a problem.
I gazed down at the Wingless Nightmare. For some reason, I couldn’t use “True Death.” I had tried multiple times when facing other bosses, but all ended in failure.
When I faced the Creature that Devours the World, I was so close to death that I might have awakened temporarily, or maybe there was some other reason. But one thing was clear.
I currently had no means to defeat that Immortal Centipede.
‘Should I retreat for a moment?’
After clearing the boss battle, I glanced at the spot where a shortcut would appear as the eggs burst out. With my current means, I could definitely burn that mound of eggs.
If that’s the case, maybe I could withdraw for now and think of a way.
ㅡBang!
The moment I halted my body, its front leg slammed down where I had just been standing. I rolled to the side to evade and struck up against its lower jaw.
The creature immediately recovered its vertically split head in less than a second and charged forward.
‘After splitting its head in half, it doesn’t even hesitate?’
I let out a hollow laugh as I parried its front leg. The battle continued. The Immortal Centipede pushed the boundaries of the host’s physical capabilities to move.
I confirmed its leg was about to strike the ground and rolled to the side to dodge. The leg made a whack sound as it scraped the ground. It couldn’t bear the impact and shattered.
Its mouth bit down where my head had been. As the upper and lower jaws met, the lower jaw shattered. The jagged jaw healed seamlessly while I was adjusting my stance for just a brief moment.
At this rate, it felt like there would be no end.
‘Whether it works or not, I have to try.’
I gripped the Wingless Nightmare and recalled the sensation of being pierced by the Creature that Devours the World in the abdomen. There was no time to ponder, so I had to act quickly.
I swung my arm as closely as possible. The Wingless Nightmare sliced cleanly through its upper body, the severed edge glowing with black flames.
“……Tsk.”
Of course, nothing changed. The separated upper body couldn’t even lean down before it reattached. Given the current situation, I needed time to consider a countermeasure.
I took out the Sacred Catalyst, gripped it in my left hand, raised it above my head, and brought it down, thrusting the golden light that burst from it straight into its torso.
The spear of light pierced both its torso and the ground simultaneously. Its four legs flailed to pull it out. Taking advantage of the moment, I distanced myself and pondered a countermeasure.
Should I retreat and spend enough time contemplating a strategy, or take the gamble that fighting might trigger some memories.
“…….”
Perhaps, the answer was already predetermined.
ㅡCrack!
It seemed that despite its desperate struggles, it couldn’t pull out the spear; instead, it tore its upper body apart to escape. The light spear, having completed its purpose, gradually faded away.
Thanks to that, the centipede’s body was exposed outside, but soon its lower half stuck back, hiding it again.
‘Right. Maybe this is an opportunity.’
A chance to recall the memories of Brightest Darkness 3.
No matter how much I searched for creatures similar to it in the world of Brightest Darkness 4, it wouldn’t be as effective as facing the real deal.
If that’s the case, what I needed to do from now on was obvious. I gripped the Wingless Nightmare. It was time to do what I had done best and most often.
Keep doing it until it works.
“Hehehehe……”
Nix was chuckling. Although it was a rather ungraceful reason, it was because memories of being cajoled and soothed by Delta kept resurfacing.
Still, I didn’t forget to keep an eye on the direction where Delta had disappeared. I had to use Teleportation the moment magic was fired into the sky.
“When will you be back…….”
Staying here alone and not seeing any bugs was good, but consequently, the boredom had increased. With the other personality having turned off memory sharing, I couldn’t even have a conversation.
That said, I didn’t have the courage to leave this place. The disgust toward the creepy and filthy creatures below was far greater. Wasn’t that the very reason I was left here in the first place?
Knowing that leaving Nix alone to move by herself was Delta’s consideration made me sadder, though I was more disappointed in myself for being unable to endure a mere bug.
Honestly, I couldn’t be sure I wouldn’t faint while seeing the sight that Delta had explained.
At this point, I even envied the other personality that was soundlessly sleeping. Thanks to not sharing memories for now, I didn’t have to witness that sight.
“Hmm……?”
How long had I waited for Delta? Nix suddenly felt something strange. It was an incredibly bizarre sensation but instinctively, it felt unpleasant deep within.
Nix cautiously stepped out of the hut. The rising anxiety made it impossible to remain still. It stared in the direction of the unpleasant feeling.
Nothing was visible. Even using magic to check, the same was true. Only the grotesque movements of the strange bugs scattered around the marshland were detected.
But the unpleasant feeling still lingered—
“Huh, huh?!”
At that moment, the other personality burst out.
“What’s happening? How did those things get here?”
Nix’s eyes widened. Nix’s eyes widened. The same action, but the reasons were different.
One realized the identity of this unpleasant feeling, while the other was shocked that another personality had burst out when it was supposed to be asleep.
“This is clearly…… this shouldn’t be happening…….”
Nix bit the nails and fidgeted. Even though the body had changed, Nix’s essence was still that of the Soul Guardian. When it came to souls, it could confidently say it was more sensitive than anyone else.
Even though the soul and memories had split into two, the essence of Nix remained, so the other personality instinctively sensed the alien soul.
‘Immortal Centipede…….’
The soul that shouldn’t exist in this world, the soul of something I had grown weary of seeing in another world, and now believed I would never see again.
The tips of the fingernails that had been grinding between my front teeth snapped off cleanly. How did the Immortal Centipede come to this world?
‘Has the twist of the world spread this far? Since all other worlds have disappeared?’
One was shattered, another consumed, leaving only one; the possibilities were plenty. This was a very bad omen.
“Nix? What on earth are you talking about? Immortal Centipede and a twist? And how did you come out? Why is your speech like that?”
Upon hearing the voice of the other personality, Nix finally realized. It had instinctively burst out due to the shock of sensing the Immortal Centipede’s soul.
The thoughts that came to mind could be shared by the other Nix as well.
‘It can’t be helped.’
As I hinted to Delta, it was time to consider combining the personalities again. The purpose of splitting the persona had long been achieved.
It was just that the timing was moved forward more than expected. Once a doubt arose, remaining still would only confuse Nix further.
“Nix, I have something to tell you.”
“Something to say……?”
“It’s about our past.”
